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Portugal now has the world's first Nissan LEAF Police Car fleet. The vehicles will be responsible for patrolling large urban areas of the country.

"We pride ourselves in being the first police force in the world to incorporate cars with zero-emission technology as part of our 5,000 vehicle fleet," said Paul Gomes Valente, national director of the Portugal State Police. "We want to continue reducing pollution in large urban centres and the introduction of the LEAF sets a new benchmark for our fleet."

The LEAF isn't known for its speed and power (107 hp), and Nissan wouldn't reveal the specs and performance figures of the police version.

No word yet on whether the car will be available in North America, where bigger machines like the Ford Police Interceptor are the preferred choice of law enforcement corps.

Source: Inside line

Photo: Nissan

From GMM

World championship leader Fernando Alonso knows how to relax between grands prix.

The Spaniard, who has scored points in his Ferrari in every race so far in 2012, this week contested a cycling road time trial in his native Asturias.

Fernando Alonso, 30, completed the 21 kilometre course in just under 29 minutes, finishing third on a state-of-the-art carbon bike in a field of more than sixty riders.

On Twitter, he said he was "happy" with the result.

Photo: Fernando Alonso / Twitter

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class hasn't changed much in over 30 years, at least in terms of styling. The current model still looks like the original of the late 1970s, which debuted first as a military vehicle.

Few people know that the G-Class was developed based on a suggestion made by the Shah of Iran, a key shareholder of Daimler at the time.

Of course, Mercedes-Benz has a much longer history of off-road performance. Daimler founder Gottlieb Daimler's son, Paul, developed the Dernburg-Wagen for the German government's officers in Africa way back in 1907.

The updated 2013 Mercedes-Benz G-Class came close to being the last one ever produced, but strong demand from Chinese and Russian customers prompted the automaker to revise its plan.

Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas, fastest Thursday in Day 1 of the young driver test at Silverstone repeated his performance today, emerging quickest in the Renault-powered Williams FW34.

Today, the test took place on the shorter International circuit and not of the long Grand Prix track.

Vallteri Bottas, Williams (Photo: WRI2)

The Williams reserve driver completed 170 laps today and set a time of 48.963 seconds.

The Marussia F1 team ran again Max Chilton and Rio Haryanto. Both rookies concentrated on getting enough mileage to gain a superlicence, achieving the required 300km.

The Marussia MR01 featured a new nose cone and a revised rear wing.

Max Chilton, Marussia (Photo: WRI2)

Chilton finished the day in second place with a time of 49.932 seconds. Haryanto, who only ran in the morning session was third with a 50.405.

The Spanish HRT team did not run today.

Young driver test, Silverstone*:
1. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 48.963s
2. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 49.932s 0.969s
3. Rio Haryanto Marussia-Cosworth 50.405s 1.442s
*Unofficial timing

A 1930 Duesenberg SJ that belonged to American band leader Paul Whiteman, of Rhapsody in Blue fame, will be sold by RM Auctions on July 28th in Plymouth, Mich. The car is estimated to be worth between $850,000 and $1,200,000 US.

With a 265-horsepower, four-valve DOHC engine, the Duesenberg SJ trumped its nearest competitor by more than 100 horsepower. In fact, no other car at the time came close to matching its performance.

Introduced at the 1929 New York Auto Show, it debuted with a base price of $8,500 for the bare chassis alone and $9,500 in supercharged form. With the requisite custom coachwork and fittings, it could even exceed $20,000.

By contrast, the least expensive Ford Model A retailed for about $450 and a good single-family home cost less than $10,000!

Only 16 units were built as convertibles, which no doubt has car collectors around the world licking their chops.

A bulletproof 1928 Cadillac owned by Al Capone will also be part of the auction.

Photo: RM Auctions

Photo: RM Auctions

Former Formula 3000 series, champion, Formula 1 and ChampCar series' competitor Roberto Moreno is making his debut in the Eurocup Megane Trophy as the World Series by Renault holds its first meeting in Russia at the new Moscow Raceway.

Bas Schothorst (TDS Racing) is continuing to dominate in the Eurocup Megane Trophy. The Dutchman has won all but one of this season's six races so far, the only blot on his copybook coming in race one at the Nürburgring, when Albert Costa (Oregon Team) took the honours. The championship now moves on to Moscow Raceway, a track new to all the drivers and where the 2011 Eurocup Megane Trophy champion Stefano Comini (Team Lompech Sport) and ex-Formula One and Champ Car driver Robert Moreno (Oregon Team) will both be making their entrances this season.

Renault Megane Trophy. (Photo: WRi2)

Appearing in the Oregon Team Megane, Moreno owes his place in the field to Nicolas Milan's withdrawal for personal reasons.

Aside from a new track, the Brazilian will also have a new car to get to grips with. The winner of 1982 Formula Three Macau Grand Prix and the 1988 Formula 3000 champion, Moreno is a veteran of 42 Formula 1 Grands Prix and also made his name in the USA's Champ Car World Series, finishing third overall in 2000.

Accustomed to Super Touring and Grand Touring cars in the last few years, the Brazilian should have little trouble finding his way round the high-performance saloon car developed by Renault Sport Technologies.

Any journalist coming from within the industry is sure to be carrying some baggage connected to a particular manufacturer. For me, that would be Land Rover. I served my mechanical apprenticeship with them back in the 70s, I've been President of the local Land Rover club, and prior to swapping wrench for pen, I owned and operated my own independent Land Rover/Jaguar workshop.

Because of this, over the decade or so in which I've been writing automotive reviews, I've purposely steered clear of reviewing Land Rover products for fear of being labelled a tainted enthusiast.

Of course, growing up on a farm in the UK, on what other possible brand of vehicle would I choose to serve my apprenticeship? After all, that's where the world's first SUV was born, down on the farm.

Yes, when the Range Rover first appeared in the late 60s, it was aimed at the wealthy farmers and land owners who, while content to let their farm hands drive around in the trusty LR Series workhorse, wished for something a tad more comfortable themselves.

Over the years, the Range Rover evolved from this to the point where it is now perhaps more of a status symbol than anything else. It's still one of the most capable vehicles in its class but, as is often pointed out, owners today rarely venture off-pavement with them. Of course, as unlikely as they are to charge into the darkest depths of Africa or scramble across a furrowed field, like the Ferrari owner who never pilots his car at 300 km/h, he or she does own the distinct pleasure of being able to say “if I wanted to, I could.”

Range Rover aside for the moment, Land Rover now offers a wide variety of vehicles, including the entry-level LR2, the new Evoque, the Range Rover Sport and, of course, the one perhaps most likely to be seen out on the trail, the highly capable LR4.

Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan

Although still sold in the UK, and in use by numerous armed forces around the world, we no longer enjoy the option of purchasing the granddaddy of them all, the Land Rover Defender. Still the closest vehicle in DNA to the company's original 1948 Series one, it is the coolest of 4x4s, which is why I've imported my own.

Of course, as it has now been 10 years since I laid my hands upon a modern Land Rover (I have the clean fingernails to prove this), I can honestly say that I no longer feel any true connection to the company. As such, I'm now quite comfortable in offering my evaluation of its product line.

So come for a ride with me as I check out the new 2012 Land Rover LR4.

This very nice video runs chronologically through S1T's time in the World Rally Championship, starting with 2002 and some stunning Safari Rally action and ending with footage of Volkswagen Motorsport - the latest manufacturer to embark on a World Rally Car programme earlier this season.

See Sebastien Loeb, Richard Burns, Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae, Marcus Gronholm, Petter Solberg and others in action!

Simon de Banke, the man behind safety tracking and timing firm Stage One Technology is also the man behind the video. And a lifelong rally fan.



"We wanted to remind everyone what we're all involved in," he said.

"Rallying is a very special sport, full of emotion, grit and determination and the WRC is a very special championship. I wanted to pay tribute to my incredible team of guys and girls who make the critical WRC timing and tracking systems happen on every event without fuss or glory - and the best way to do this was to show the highs and lows that have been our lives since 2002.

"I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. I really wanted a film which reflected our feelings on the last 10 years of WRC, rather than a corporate video about S1T. We spent way too much time on it, but it was worth it in the end. It came out exactly as I hoped, and like most people who have watched it, it brought a small tear to my eye."

The Land Rover LR4, also known outside of North America as the Discovery 4, is often viewed as the middle-of-the-range, positioned somewhere between the entry-level LR2 and the mighty Range Rover. In my view, this is somewhat misleading as the LR4 is, in many ways, a different animal from the two aforementioned vehicles.


With the Range Rover scaling further and further up the prestige ladder, it left a void for those who wished for a capable, yet perhaps slightly more affordable SUV. Therefore, in 1995 (1989 in the UK) Land Rover introduced us to its first Discovery model, and an instant success, not surprisingly, as it appealed to the family market seeking a well-appointed and competent seven-passenger, midsized SUV.

Of course, while all Land Rover products feature standardized off-road prowess, LR4 owners are perhaps most likely to make use of their vehicle's capabilities, which is why I feel it differs from the rest of the range. It's also perhaps why the company lists the vehicle's water wading depth (27.56 inches) within its sales materials. Try obtaining that information from other SUV manufacturers!

The LR4's two-level roofline is a dead giveaway when it comes to recognition as a carryover from the original Discovery. I like it and, from what I've gathered, so do the younger generation, as they tend to sit higher in it than most other SUVs and therefore enjoy better all-around vision.

Apart from that one nod to the original design, the latest offering appears worlds apart from its predecessor. With just about every SUV manufacturer busy dressing up its product line, Land Rover is no exception to this.

In fact, stepping inside a new LR4, it's not difficult to imagine yourself seated in a brand new Range Rover. However, dressed or not, the fundamental rule of Land Rover still exists within the LR4, which is to build the most capable 4WD vehicle available and then attempt to make it as comfortable as possible.

With this in mind, the vehicle boasts one of the most sophisticated drivetrains in the business. Its simple-to-operate twist knob selector offers the choice of five settings (general driving, grass/gravel/snow, sand, mud and ruts, rock crawl). The air suspension can then be raised further up to 4.92 inches for use in extreme off-road conditions.

Stepping inside a new LR4, it's not difficult to imagine yourself seated in a brand new Range Rover. (Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan)

This system also features a clever access mode which allows for the vehicle to be lowered by 2 inches for easy entry/exit. Speaking of which, the split-level tailgate works great as an exterior bench seat or as a platform to stand on while loading items onto the roof. It also allows access to the large, 2,557-litre cargo area.

The LR4 also serves duty as an excellent tow vehicle, as it's rated for 7,716 lbs or 3,500 kg.

Power comes from a 375-hp 5.0L V8, borrowed from Jaguar, and works well when you need that added oomph for overtaking, capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. Now that's quick for a vehicle of this size, especially when you consider that the LR4 is constantly in 4WD mode.

On the road, the LR4 is a blast to drive. Although you'll possibly pay a penalty for it at the pumps, the power on hand is phenomenal for a vehicle of its size and weight. The vehicle feels what it is, a well-designed SUV with a performance motor under the hood.

Power comes from a 375-hp 5.0L V8, borrowed from Jaguar, and works well when you need that added oomph for overtaking. (Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan)

However, for me, the ride quality was what truly sold me on the vehicle. You see, I've driven too many SUVs which either wallow along with vague steering or, were so tight and responsive that they tire you out and make your teeth chatter.

Somehow, the designers at Land Rover have managed to achieve the perfect combination. Yes, you can still feel the roadway, yet by the time this information has arrived at your steering wheel, it appears to have passed through several layers of cotton wool.

Naturally, for a vehicle which starts at $59,990 and can easily reach well over $70K, you might expect nothing less. However, this is one of those occasions when you have to seriously look at what you're getting for the money.

Of course, if you read my blog on my past experience with the Land Rover brand, you're probably hoping for a few insider truths, so I won't disappoint you.

Heavy on fuel? Yes, traditionally there has always been a price to pay with full-time 4WD vehicles (because of the moving parts involved), and it's a challenge to make any V8 frugal on fuel. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the new LR4. If you leave the heavy foot at home, it's surprising what can be achieved. On the highway at 100 km/h, I had no problem keeping under 10L/100km (which is much better than the official figures).

Unreliable? You know, it really annoys me when I hear and read this. Admittedly, the company did suffer from this reputation in the past. Truthfully, this was mostly due to its rapid expansion in North America and the lack of trained Land Rover technicians. From what I now hear from ex-colleagues, today's products are just as reliable as most other sophisticated high-end manufacturers' offerings, provided of course that they're serviced properly.

This is one of those occasions when you have to seriously look at what you're getting for the money. (Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan)

In fact, a good indication of any vehicle's reliability is how many techs drive the product they service (the last thing I wanted to do after a day's work was fix my own vehicle), and most LR techs I know drive Range Rovers!

Expensive parts? Premium brands run premium parts, it's as simple as that. However, when you're in a not-so-premium-brand store, check out how their prices have risen of late. The gap today between servicing a Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz or BMW versus a domestic or oriental import is not as great as you may think. Beware though; I've seen the MSRP on aftermarket parts priced higher than genuine parts, so always compare the two!

Ross Brawn has answered "why not?" when asked if he can imagine Michael Schumacher staying at Mercedes in 2013.

The seven time world champion's three-year contract is set to expire, and the German marque's former DTM protege Paul di Resta has been linked with the race cockpit alongside Nico Rosberg.

It is believed, however, that 43-year-old Schumacher has the power to trigger a unilateral 'option' for 2013, which would explain Mercedes' apparent attempts to speed up the great German's decision.

Will we see Michael Schumacher, with Mercedes AMG, again in Montreal? (Photo: WRi2)

Team boss Brawn admitted: "We are focused on Michael for as long as it takes and whatever it takes. Then we will see where we are elsewhere.

"We haven't discussed it but he enjoys himself and if he enjoys himself, why not?" he is quoted by the Independent newspaper.

"Inevitably you come to a point where you say 'Let's have the discussions', because these things can sometimes take some time."

Ford has not left the Mustang alone, ever. In fact, since the retro rebirth of the car for the 2005 model year, Ford has multiplied the number of varying editions to a level matching that of Porsche.

2013 marks the forth consecutive model year that Ford injects more life and niceties into their very attainable flagship performance car. The 2013 Ford Mustang line-up maybe the most complete ever with, quite literally, something for everyone.

In the past, editions such as the SVO, Mach 1 and Bullitt made us all foam at the mouth, but the latest crop of special 'Stangs is truly dream-worthy.

I'll start with the basic car and work my way up to the top.

2013 Ford Mustang V6

Photo: Ford

Where else will you find a 305-hp, two-door coupe for under $24K? The V6 Mustang is the first step into the family and is not to be perceived as a base car. In fact, the V6 pushes out more than 70 hp more than a GT did 15 years ago.

The 3.7L is rev-happy and won't let you down unless you're really pushing it. Be it with the 6-speed manual or automatic, this car is not only affordable and fast, but it's a blast to drive.

Want more out of your V6? Moving up to a Premium and selecting the Performance Package, the V6 goes from "how-do-you-do" to "hold on!" The option package adds a strut-tower brace, larger front and rear sway bars, better springs, pads and a different stability program. Throw in 19" summer tires and a limited-slip differential, and you've got a V6 Mustang that can tango with a GT on a track.

The Convertible V6 is the perfect car for any and all types of summer cruising scenarios. It's got all the styling, plenty of performance and comfort for short or long hauls. For a little over $36,000, a leather-lined 6-speed auto Convertible V6 becomes the perfect me-time ride.

2013 Ford Mustang GT

Photo: Ford

The Mustang GT is the perennial performance pony car. The return of the 5.0 in 2011 cemented the Mustang's position in American musclecar enthusiasts' hearts, thanks to the V8's 420 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque.

GT are two letters that, according to some, stand for "Get There". The Mustang GT will do so but not quietly. The raging V8's growl is intoxicating and shifting the 6-speed, heavy-throw shifter and weighty clutch are clear signs that this car is not for the weak. Standard 18" wheels, rear spoiler and big tailpipes tell tales of going fast.

The GT can be kitted out with a few performance accessories which are a must if it will spend any amount of time on a track. The GT Brembo Brake Racing Package makes loads of sense. For a little over $2,000, the car grows upgraded pads, callipers and booster, a 3.73 Torsen rear differential, an oil cooler, a Boss radiator and fatty 19" wheels and tires.

Here again, the convertible version is an ideal leisure vehicle, albeit with a crap-load more power than the V6. The drop-tops lose out handling-wise, but straight-line good times are never affected.

2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Photo: Ford

The Mustang Boss is incredible. It's difficult not to get excited about a car that goes really fast around a corner and really fast on the way out. The Boss 302 features the same 5.0L V8 as the GT, but is configured to sacrifice some low-end grunt for extra oomph higher up in the rev range.

All 444 hp stampede in at 7,400 rpm. That kind of power requires extra attention management-wise, hence why the Boss gets an engine oil cooler and a heavy-duty radiator. More proof of this car's dedicated nature comes from the fact that it does away with some nice-to-haves, including heated mirrors, auto climate control and seatback storage pockets.

What come included with the sub-$49,000 price is a devoted sport suspension, fatty 19" performance wheels and tires, a 6-speed manual transmission (no automatic offered here) and a few physical markings. The only extras are Recaro sport seats and Torsen differential.

To drive this car is to understand the chasm-like difference that lies between it and the GT. The most notable improvements are made to weight transfers, which are all but cancelled out, and the brakes. The Boss chews up and spits out apexes with never-before-seen ease in a Mustang. The 302 lunges forward with authority but it's in the corners where the car shines. Shopping for a weekend track car? This is the one.

2013 Ford Mustang GT500

Photo: Ford

Do you want the most frightening, powerful and mega-badass car this side of $100k? This is it!

The Shelby GT500 is everything it is supposed to be and more. In the right conditions and with Launch Control (yes, it has it), the supercharged 5.8L V8 will catapult the big coupe to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds! Its 662 hp are unparalleled: this is the most powerful production V8 in the world. Yes, it's a Ford, not a Ferrari.

The GT500 is unmistakeable. With its bulging hood, enormous staggered 19" and 20" wheels and tires, and growl that makes the dead wish they were buried even deeper, the GT500 is the angriest mass-production street-legal car. A quick glance reveals the absence of a front grille; the better to suck in massive quantities of air with. This is serious!

The Shelby, a $62,000 investment in going very fast, can also be delivered with a retractable soft top for an extra $5,000.

	V6	GT	Boss 302	Shelby GT500
Coupe MSRP	$23 999	$39 299	$48 799	$61 699
Convertible MSRP	$31 999	$44 299	n/a	$66 699
Engine	3.7L V6	5.0L V8	5.0L V8	Supercharged 5.8L V8
HP @ RPM	305 @ 6,500	420 @ 6,500	444 @ 7,400	662 @ 6,500
Torque @ RPM	280 @ 4,250	390 @ 4,250	380 @ 4,500	631 @ 4,000

2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport

It's unfortunate that Mazda only offers the manual transmission on the most basic variant of the CX-5.

It's unfortunate that Mazda only offers the manual transmission on the most basic variant of the CX-5, though I suppose we should be happy it's available at all. Having driven this stick-shift model back-to-back with a fully-loaded automatic variant, I can say there are only two goodies I'd really miss: nineteen-inch wheels and leather. The larger wheels and, more important, the accompanying low-profile tires, translate to better-weighted and more communicative steering than the tall, seventeen-inch tires on this model. The leather also relates to steering- the cheap plastic rim on the base model ruins a perfectly shaped steering wheel.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Also in this episode: Indian industrial giant Mahindra announces that it will not sell trucks in the United States, the acclaimed racing documentary Senna is

Volvo is touting three new technologies that it says will help make the Volvos of the future a good deal safer: autonomous driving, 'Intersection Support' and animal detection.

The past few years have seen somewhat of a renaissance in grassroots motorsports in the United States.

If you've ever seen beautiful photographs of cars in actionand#8212;cars like a

Here is the first real promo for Jerry Seinfeld's upcoming Web show Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. So far all we've seen are a

Several trade union bodies are broadly welcoming the appointment of Steve Girsky as acting head of GM's European operations, following today's sudden departure of former Opel CEO, Karl- Friedrich Stracke.

Pictures 12 Jul, 2012

General Motors has put vice chairman Steve Girsky in charge of its troubled European operations, replacing Karl-Friedrich Stracke. GM said that Stracke will handle special assignments from chairman Dan Akerson.